Headquarters State of Missouri, } Adjutant General’s Office. St. Louis, December 31, 1861.
SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 15.
1st. The battalion of Missouri Volunteers heretofore known as 1st North Missouri Regiment, under the command of Col. D. Moore, and the battalion of Missouri Volunteers heretofore known as the 2d North Missouri Regiment, under the command of Col. H. M. Woodyard, are hereby consolidated into a regiment to be hereafter known and designated as the 21st Regiment of Missouri Volunteers.
2d. Col. D. Moore is hereby appointed Colonel, and Col. H. M. Woodyard is hereby appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, of the regiment thus formed.
By order of the Commander in Chief.
Chester Harding, Jr.
Adjutant General.
| Headquarters State of Missouri, | } |
| Adjutant General’s Office. | |
| St. Louis, December 31, 1861. |
As a result of the above order the two regiments were consolidated on the 1st day of February, 1862, and were mustered into the service of the United States by Lieut. Col. Fetterman, as the 21st Missouri Infantry Volunteers, with the following field officers:
D. Moore, Colonel.
H. M. Woodyard, Lieutenant Colonel.
B. B. King, Major.
Charles C. Tobin, Adjutant
The ten companies of the regiment had the following officers:
| Company A— | Charles Yust, Captain. |
| Henry Menn, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Edwin Turner, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company B— | Joseph Story, Captain. |
| L. D. Woodruff, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Edward Fox, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company C— | Simon Pearce, Captain. |
| William Lester, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| T. H. Richardson, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company D— | N. W. Murrow, Captain. |
| Henry McGonigle, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Louis J. Ainslee, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company E— | Geo. W. Fulton, Captain. |
| T. M. McQuoid, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Wm. J. Pulus, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company F— | Joseph T. Farris, Captain. |
| Alex. F. Tracy, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| F. A. Whitmore, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company G— | T. H. Roseberry, Captain. |
| E. R. Blackburn, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Daniel R. Allen, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company H— | Jno. H. Cox, Captain. |
| Peter S. Washburn, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Wm. P. Rickey, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company I— | Wm. Harle, Captain. |
| Joseph Oliver, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Hudson Rice, 2d Lieutenant. | |
| Company K— | Frederick Leeser, Captain. |
| A. D. Starkweather, 1st Lieutenant. | |
| Geo. M. Davis, 2d Lieutenant. |
It was in Canton where the regiment was mustered into service and about the 15th of February it left that place and marched by way of LaGrange and Palmyra to Hannibal, Mo., where several weeks were spent in training in military duties. On the 28th of March orders came to go to the front. Camp equipments were soon packed and the regiment on the way to St. Louis. After a brief stop there it was taken by boat to Savannah, Tennessee. This place was General Grant’s headquarters, who was then making the plans which resulted in the fall of Corinth. The regiment reported to Gen. Grant and was sent immediately to the front and assigned to the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, Army of West Tennessee, under command of Gen. B. M. Prentiss.
The men were soon to see fighting in earnest now. They were on the ground where the memorable battle of Shiloh was fought a few days after their arrival, to-wit: the 6th and 7th of April, 1862, and on account of their advanced position they were the first to become engaged with the enemy. The regiment suffered heavily in the fight, losing one officer and thirty men killed, with four officers and one hundred and fifty men wounded. Three officers and sixty-eight men were also taken prisoners. It was here that the gallant Maj. King fell mortally wounded. The reports of the battle by Cols. Moore and Woodyard, published here, give a full account of the part taken by the regiment:
Cols. Moore and Woodyard’s Reports.
Headquarters 21st Mo. Infantry, } 6th Division, Army of the Tennessee, April 11th, 1862.
SIR:—In pursuance of the order of Brig. Gen. B. M. Prentiss, commanding 6th Division, Army of West Tennessee, I, on Saturday, (April 5th,) proceeded to a reconnoisance on the front of the line of Gen. Prentiss’ division, and on the front of Gen. Sherman’s division. My command consisted of three companies from the 21st Missouri Regiment, companies commanded by Capt’s Cox, Harle and Pearce. A thorough reconnoisance over the extent of three miles failed to discover the enemy. Being unsuccessful, as stated, I returned to my encampment about 7 p. m. On Sunday morning, the 6th inst., at about 6 o’clock, being notified that the picket guard of the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, had been attacked and driven in, by order of Col. Everett Peabody, commanding the 1st Brigade, 6th Division, I advanced with five companies of my command a short distance from the outer line of our encampment. I met the retreating pickets of the 1st Brigade bringing in their wounded. Those who were able for duty were ordered and compelled to return to their posts, and learning that the enemy were advancing in force I advanced with the remaining companies of my regiment, which companies having joined me I ordered an advance and attacked the enemy, who was commanded by Brig. Gen. Ruggles, of the Rebel army. A terrific fire was opened upon us from the whole front of the four or five regiments forming the advance of the enemy, which my gallant soldiers withstood during thirty minutes, until I had communicated the intelligence of the movement against us to my commanding General. About this time, being myself severely wounded, the bone of the leg below my knee being shattered, I was compelled to retire from the field, leaving Lieut. Col. Woodyard in command.
D. Moore,
Colonel 21st Mo. Volunteers.To Capt. Henry Binmore,
Act. A. G., 6th Division,
Army of West Tennessee.